This will be the first meeting for four new boardmembers, elected last month along with 11 incumbents.

Here’s a look at the new councilmembers.

Pam Meisel

Meisel brings a background in recreational boating to the council. Through her leadership roles at the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, Meisel gained experience with port and planning issues and is now looking to “have a voice in future development and not just sit back and let things happen.”

Meisel and her husband are new San Pedro residents, having moved into the Coastal area two years ago from Torrance. “Since I am retired and have extra time, I wanted to get involved with the issues that face our town,” Meisel said.

Rosalie Perazzola

Perazzola describes herself as a native San Pedran and granddaughter of one of the town’s founding fishing families. She and her husband own Pacific True Value Hardware on 11th Street and Pacific Avenue.

“I have a general concern for the future of San Pedro and would like to take a more active civic role,” said Perazzola, whose past community involvement includes service with the Pt. Fermin Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, the San Pedro High School Lady Boosters and the San Pedro Girls Softball Association.

Erin Strelich

Strelich is a lifelong San Pedro resident whose goals are to “help preserve the environmental, cultural and economic resources that help make San Pedro such a unique, high-quality community.” She’s equally concerned about promoting “smart growth and green infrastructure to improve our long-term sustainability.”

Strelich recently earned a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA. Combining her knowledge of the planning bureaucracy with her new position as a councilmember, Strelich hopes to “improve the conduits for communication between stakeholders and municipal agencies, ensuring timely information reaches the community on important local concerns and that those concerns, in turn, are heard and included in the planning process in an efficient manner.”

Van Alexis Ulrich

Ulrich is a retired teacher and artist who has volunteered with a number of religious, cultural and charitable organizations. She has served Little Sisters of the Poor, Mary Star of the Sea parish and the San Pedro Art Association.

As a retiree, “I have ample time to get involved with community affairs,” said Ulrich. “I care about our community and wish to get involved with the education issues as well as the arts and local cultural activities.”

Welcome to San Pedro News

San Pedro News, Washington Edition focuses on Congresswoman Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro) and federal issues. It is published by a professional journalist and former columnist for the late More San Pedro newspaper.